Apparatus and method for displaying information

• US 10,025,275 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunseok, Kwak, Younghoon, Kim, Dongkyu, Park, Sang-Hyen, Lee, Seungyun
• Primary Examiner(s): HALEY, JOSEPH R
• Application Number:
  US15/045,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/0091 Combined electro-optical and electro-mechanical displays see provisionally also G04G9/0082
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0023 by light valves in general G04G9/06, G04G9/12 takes precedence; electro-, magneto- or acousto-optic devices in general G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/26 the radio signal being a near-field communication signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for displaying information are provided. The method includes, in a standby mode, maintaining a display in a transparent state, the display covering a clock module including hands of a clock, in response to a display event, adjusting transparency of a display area on the display, and displaying information corresponding to the display event on the display area.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information in an apparatus comprising a clock module and a display covering the clock module, the clock module comprising at least one clock hand indicating a current time, the method comprising:

maintaining the display with a transparent state while the apparatus operates in an idle state;

in response to detecting a display event, determining, based on a location of each of the at least one clock hand, at least one display area for outputting information corresponding to the display event in an entire area of the display with the transparent state;

displaying, by adjusting a transparency of the at least one display area, the information within the at least one display area;

changing a location of the at least one display area based on a movement of each of the at least one clock hand; and

displaying the information within the at least one display area located at the changed location,

wherein the determining of the at least one display area comprises;

in response to receiving data from an electronic device, determining at least a partial area of the display as a notification area for displaying an object for notifying that the data is received;

displaying, by adjusting a transparency of the notification area, the object within the notification area; and

in response to receiving a user input on the notification area, determining the at least one display area for displaying the information included in the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the at least one display area is different from the location of each of the at least one clock hand.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one display area is not superimposed over the each of the at least one clock hand.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock module is capable of being controlled by a controller in a mechanical manner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the display event comprises receiving a signal from the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the display event comprises at least one of detecting a change of a posture of the clock module or receiving a user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the transparency of the at least one display area comprises converting the at least one display area from the transparent state into a translucent state or an opaque state.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the at least one display area into the transparent state when a designated time elapses while the information is being displayed.

9. An apparatus for displaying information, the apparatus comprising:

a clock module comprising at least one clock hand indicating a current time;

a display covering the clock module; and

a controller configured to;

control to maintain the display with a transparent state while the apparatus operates in an idle state,

in response to receiving data from an electronic device, determine at least a partial area of the display as a notification area for displaying an object for notifying that the data is received,

display, by adjusting a transparency of the notification area, the object within the notification area,

in response to receiving a user input on the notification area, determine, based on a location of each of the at least one clock hand in the clock module, at least one display area for outputting information included in the data in an entire area of the display with the transparent state,

display, by adjusting a transparency of the at least one display area, information within the at least one display area,

change a location of the at least one display area based on a movement of each of the at least one clock hand, and

display the information within the at least one display area located at the changed location.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location of the at least one display area is different from the location of each of the at least one clock hand.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one display area is not superimposed over each of the at least one clock hand.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the clock module comprises another controller and is only controlled by the other controller.

13. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the other controller is configured to control the clock module in a mechanical manner, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control the display in an electrical manner.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a display event in response to at least one of receiving a signal from the electronic device, detecting a change of a posture of the clock module, or receiving a user input, and

in response to the detecting of the display event, determine the at least one display area.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to convert the at least one display area from the transparent state into a translucent state or an opaque state by adjusting the transparency of the at least one display area.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to convert the at least one display area into the transparent state when a designated time elapses while the information is being displayed.